Consequences of Wearing Google Glass

Wearing a Glass in everyday life can create some unintended consequences. One shining example occurred in late October 2013, when a driver in California was cited for wearing her Google Glass while driving.

According to the citation, she was violating a state law that requires people not to drive a vehicle equipped with a monitor unless it displays global mapping displays, external media player (MP3), or satellite radio information. The driver fought the ticket, however, because she didn’t have her Glass turned on at the time, and the officer couldn’t prove otherwise.

In early 2014, a judge in traffic court agreed with the driver. The charges were thrown out because there was no evidence beyond a reasonable doubt that her Glass was turned on at the time.

Though this episode had a happy ending, it also illustrates the brave new world that we’re entering with wearable computers and acts as a reminder that (as with any piece of technology) a set of unwritten etiquette rules comes with your Glass.